Hiram Barnes (19 October 1832 – 24 April 1917) was a Queensland businessman, born in Beckley, Sussex, England noted for his association with Cobb & Co.
He started a business with three horse teams, carrying between St Kilda, Castlemaine and Bendigo.
In 1858 he joined the rush to Rockhampton, Queensland, but was unsuccessful and returned to the carrying business, with Hobby and Hewstead, a competitor to Cobb & Co who shortly took them over.
He drove for Cobb & Co, becoming a manager of the Forbes to Orange route, at the time bushranger Ben Hall was active in that region.
Roma and Gympie followed,[1] Later he was employed by his sons' firm of Barnes and Co. of Brisbane, and lived at Kelvin Grove.